This showed on Outside the Lines, ESPN, a day or two before the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. It’s an excellent story of sports and major events, and how at times the moment of a sport doesn’t and shouldn’t take over the attention of what ever the major event brings to focus about life. Here is a transcript of what Bruce Smith said after he received the Heisman.

Another moment comes to mind for me, the day Nebraska played Penn St. in Football and how both teams came to the middle of the field in unity and prayer. A great moment in sports, and a small starting block of healing for everyone involved.

I have been able to get to know Roy Helu over the last two years, this year not really since I have been in South Africa, and see the kind of man that God has made him into being. With a bright attitude on and off the field, and a sense of knowing that there is more to life than football, Helu has been able to inspire and encourage every person that he meets. I am thankful to be able to know him, and glad for what he is doing in God’s kingdom.

The 6-foot, 215-pounder is the last guy you imagine will cop to an “inner struggle.” But, then, that’s Helu, a Christian who consistently deflects attention away from him successes and toward his weaknesses – or the strengths of his teammates.

“An inner struggle? Yeah,” Helu said. “Every morning when I wake up, I want to be selfish. I can’t though. And I do sometimes.”

Helu talks about “losing focus” and “mental toughness.” He talks about a vision he has for Nebraska’s offense, and how “we’re nowhere near it.”

“The best back in college football,” Pelini said at the Big Red Breakfast Friday. “…Roy will make you look like a bad tackler.”

Naturally, Helu isn’t satisfied with his work so far. He labels it “average at best.”

During NU’s game against Virginia Tech, Ekeler came running down the sideline looking for Compton.

“Get ready to rock and roll! You’re going in!” Ekeler told him.

Head coach Bo Pelini also told Compton to get ready, but he soon changed his mind and said it would be a poor decision to burn the redshirt. In hindsight, Compton admits sitting out was the right choice.

“I was nowhere close to where I am now,” Compton said. “It’s an awesome thing to redshirt. You get a year of learning and getting a feel for the game instead of being thrown into the fire.” (Daily Nebraskan)

Here is a little about Josh Williams, Nick Rubek is asking the questions and wrote this article:

Q: What’s the toughest part of redshirting?

A: Just sitting out. I came in and wanted to be in the game. But actually just sitting out and watching guys, that’s probably the toughest part. I think the best part about it was just being able to develop myself to be ready to play college football.

Q: When you look back at it now, do you think a year ago at this time you would have been ready to play?

A: No, I don’t think so. I don’t think I would have been able to do it. Nick Rubek

I am excited for the football season, even though I am 2000 miles or so away from good ole Big Red land. Here are some questions that Dale Obrien has for the season and I am totally with him on all of them:

Well…the sencond editon of the Pelini Brothers Construction takes the field today. There are a few questions that may be answered.

Will this team start by showing the consistency that Bo yearns for and has been ‘yellin’ about since he came to Lincoln?

It’s still a very young team…with a new QB and a (relatively)new LB corps. Will they produce from the opening Kick Off?

Will the DBs show a renewed interest in tackling and knocking the stuffing our of RBs and WRs?

Will Bo show sportsmanship to the officials?

Will the DL show right-off-the-bat that they are going to be the highlight of the defense?

Will Suh’s linemates take advantage of the double-teaming Suh will receive all year?

Will Helu’s hamstring hold up today…and next week…etc?

Will Rex Burkhead (or Burkhart or whatever his name is) prove to be a RB prodigy that we think he will be?

Will Marvin Sanders’ DBs and Safeties become a ball-hawking group or will Suh lead the team in interceptions?

I’m just glad the season is here and am looking forward to some answers.

Does the load fall, ultimately, to quarterback Zac Lee’s shoulders? Well, that’s the M.O. of the Big 12. But not Pelini, who wants an decent, low-turnover offense in service of an overwhelming defense. The most plays Lee will make in 2009 are the turnovers he avoids, not the touchdowns he creates. If the Huskers try again to engage in scoring contests, they won’t win the North.

For me, rather, it’s that entire defensive unit, the one Pelini drills so hard in practice. Can Will Compton, Sean Fisher and Mathew May play two years above their age level? Can the cornerbacks grab some interceptions? Can the front four continue to stop the run as it did during the last four games of 2008? Can the safeties, the keystone to the Pelini defense in many ways, live up to their head coach’s high standards?

Finally, after eight months of waiting, we can begin to answer the questions.